When I got there there was a momma dog with day old babies. She was so scared she wasn't paying an attention to the babies. The weren't even sure she was the mom. I got her to lay over and the babies began to nurse. There were 17 puppies and 12 adult dogs. Several were very scared and not very willing to come with me but were finally convinced. All of the dogs were filthy and caked with dirt, poop and urine. The smell was horrendous. The dogs had been loose in a home and seized by AC. I took the mom and two pups, 11 puppies and 7 adult dogs. Another rescue was going to take 4 of the less dirty and more friendly cockers and 4 pups. Well we were full too but the skilled shelter staff, already good at juggling space, set up crates and room was made. The call went out to fosters to please help and many stepped up.
The ride home was pretty stinky literally. It was totally quiet which was weird for beagles. When I pulled up to Partners For Pets shelter at 7:30 PM, Beth and Renee had the crates were ready. Danette was there to pick up something and immediately jumped in to help. Wendy came to pick up the mom and two tiny pups and whisked them off to foster. Sarah was calling fosters to get dogs out of the shelter. Fosters had come to take dogs out of the shelter before I even got back. We unloaded one at a time and gave each a booster, bordetella, wormer, flea preventative, food and water. The puppies were very hungry and very wormy looking. Huge bellies and skinny legs and shoulders. All were just caked in filth. All were settled in and a plea for help to clean them Friday AM went out.
The next morning Renee, Sherry, Lynelle, Matt, Cheryl, myself, and Lickety Split Mobile S'paw showed up to help clean them up. Yep, the puppies were very wormy and we had really nice cages to clean. Our old shelter is tiny and the grooming area even tinier. It was tight and we were walking over each other. The first beagle/cocker was totally freaked out at the bath and was doing alligator rolls while splashing the filth running off her all over us. Finally we were able to get her cleaned up. Guess she decided it felt pretty good. You had to soak the stuff off them and cut some of it off.
Slowly, we got them cleaned up. Emily brought her Lickety Split Mobile S'Paw to the shelter and took the two worst ones to groom. They had to be shaved. Many are very urine stained and it will take a while for it to grow out. Even the 8 week old puppies had yellow urine stain on their legs and bellies from laying in it. They said there was about 2 inches of excrement all over the whole house. And people were living there.
One thing about Partners For Pets is that when the call goes out all hands on deck people are all in. Everyone worked to get these dogs and puppies safe and cared for. Thanks to everyone that helped, the fosters that stepped up and all the shelter staff and volunteers that are working OT to make sure everyone is fine. Whew!
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